We've all heard the saying,
I got caught up in my emotions or a feeling took over me.
When we are in the throes of an emotion we become reactive,
Everything seems urgent,
There is no space in which to take a breath,
Wait or stand back.
Frequently this is when we do and say things we later regret,
Hurt people,
Make mistakes.
We can also experience moments when we are so deep in emotion we feel as though we are the emotion,
As if the emotion has become a permanent state,
Fixed or identity.
Even in smaller ways,
Each time we say I am angry for example,
We speak in a way that says I identify with this emotion,
I am this emotion.
But you are not your emotions,
Your emotions are simply energy and like all things made of energy,
They have a life cycle in which they arise,
Last for a little while and then dissipate.
All our suffering comes from trying to stop this energy,
We trap the energy of emotion when we attempt to grasp onto positive emotions,
Push away negative emotions or when we try to solidify the emotion by attaching our identity to it.
Meditation can help us put emotions in perspective.
Through meditation we learn that there is space between our emotions and our awareness of them.
When given that space,
Our emotions are able to do their thing and then move on.
When we are experiencing an emotion that is particularly strong or frustrating,
It is the perfect time to stop and explore them.
As we move into this exercise,
You can do one of two things.
You can either 1.
Observe whatever current emotion you may be feeling at this moment or 2.
Bring to mind a recent event where you experienced an emotional reaction.
Closing your eyes,
I'd like you to take a deep breath in and out,
Focusing on the sensation of the air moving in through your nose,
Your chest expanding and contracting,
Your abdomen rising and falling.
If you are bringing to mind an event,
Notice as many details as possible,
Try to remember what was said and how you and others acted.
While breathing slowly and evenly,
Bring your attention to where you are feeling the emotion in your body.
Do you feel it in your chest or stomach,
In your shoulders or in your face or jaw?
Are you feeling it in your arms or legs?
Notice any physical sensations connected with this emotion.
I'd like you to become aware of the strength of feeling.
Is it growing in strength or diminishing?
Is it pleasant or painful?
Now I'd like you to bring your attention to the thoughts that this emotion may be creating.
Do you have any thoughts about this emotion?
Does this emotion trigger any judgements about yourself or about others?
Keep observing your emotion and any judgements it may be bringing up.
I'm going to give you four possible visualisations and I'd like you to choose the one that resonates most to you.
A leaf floating down a stream,
Around a bend and out of sight.
A cloud cutting across a windy sky.
A computer pop-up flashes briefly on the screen and then disappears.
Or a message written on a billboard that you approach and pass at high speed.
Choose the image that works best for you.
Keep observing your emotion and when a judgement about yourself,
Others begin to manifest,
Turn it into a leaf,
A cloud,
A pop-up or billboard and watch it while it moves away and out of sight.
Remind yourself of your right to feel whatever you feel.
Emotions come and go like waves on the sea.
They rise up and then recede.
Whatever you feel is legitimate and necessary no matter how strong or painful.
Take a slow deep breath and accept the emotion as something that lives in you for a while and then passes.
Notice your judgmental thoughts,
Visualise them and let them pass.
Let your emotions be what they are,
Like waves on the sea that rise and fall.
Riding your emotions for a little while and then they leave.
This is natural and normal.
It is what it means to be human.
You will finish this exercise with a few minutes of mindful breathing.
Being aware of the sensation of the air moving in through your nose,
Your chest expanding and contracting and your abdomen rising and falling with each breath and focusing on the experience of each moment as you breathe.
Gently opening your eyes,
Bring yourself back to the room and take a moment to check in on how you are feeling now.
